Temple University Athletics
Seniors (L to R): Gloria Aguilar, Olivia Wynn, Demi Antipas, Fatima Largaespada, Petra Khan and Jessica Hall.
Fencing Honors Seniors and Award-Winners at Annual Year-End Banquet
4.27.16 | Women's Fencing
PHILADELPHIA - The 2015-16 Temple fencing season has come to a close, and the Owls celebrated another outstanding year at their annual banquet on Sunday, April 24. At the banquet, which was held in a private room at Dave & Buster's, Temple handed out some special awards and honored its seniors.
Six seniors finished their careers as Owls for the fencing program this season - Gloria Aguilar, Demi Antipas, Jessica Hall, Petra Khan, Fatima Largaespada and Olivia Wynn.Â
Earning the Most Improved Player award in just her first season at Temple was freshman Auset Muhammad of the foil squad.Â
The team honored an MVP for each weapon, and it was seniors taking all three trophies. In foil, senior Fatima Largaespada was named MVP. For epee, it was senior Jessica Hall, and for sabre, it was senior Petra Khan. Largaespada had an outstanding regular season with 46 wins for the foil squad, while Hall and Khan completed their careers by making their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships.
Two days after the team's banquet, the Owls also attended the annual Celebration of Champions and earned a couple more awards. Khan was honored with the team's Owl Club Academic Award for having the highest GPA for the last two semesters on the team.
Senior Olivia Wynn earned one of the evening's top awards, being named the female recipient of the Enterprise Spirit and Sportsmanship Award, given annually to student-athletes who have demonstrated a devotion to the essence of sport through their acts of sportsmanship.
2015-16 Temple Fencing Highlights
Overall Record: 24-14
Conference Finish: 1st in NIWFA
- The Owls were ranked in every Top 10 poll throughout the season, finishing ninth in the final poll of 2015-16.
- Temple had four fencers qualify for the 2016 NCAA Championships, and took 11th place among women's teams at the national meet.
- Three seniors made their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships, Demi Antipas (foil), Jessica Hall (epee) and Petra Khan (sabre). Sophomore Safa Ibrahim (epee) made her second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and was the Owls' highest finisher, taking 17th place.
- All 17 Temple fencers qualified to compete in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional, and the Owls sent the maximum 12 representatives. Out of those 12, an impressive eight were finalists (top 12) at the regional meet.
- Antipas was Temple's top finisher at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional, earning a runner-up finish in foil. The Owls also had a top-five finisher in epee, with Hall taking fourth.
- Five Owls earned All-NIWFA recognition after Temple earned its 20th straight NIWFA team title.
- Freshman Fiona Fong was named to the All-NIWFA First Team after a third-place finish in epee. Earning All-NIWFA Second Team honors were senior Fatima Largaespada (foil), junior Alexandra Keft (epee) and freshman Quinn Duwelius (epee). Khan was named to the All-NIWFA Academic Team.
- As a team, Temple finished with a dual meet record of 24-14.
- Sophomore Becca Stanford tied for third in foil at the 2016 Junior Fencing Olympics. One month earlier at the January NAC, Stanford took eighth in junior women's foil and 10th in Division I women's foil.
- On Jan. 22, Keft was named to the College Fencing 360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll after going 11-1 at the Penn State Invitational.
- Temple went 4-1 as a team at Penn State, highlighted by an 18-9 win against the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions and a 20-7 victory against North Carolina.
- The epee squad turned in a perfect day at both the Penn State Invitational and the Sacred Heart Invitational, including a 6-3 win against nationally-ranked Harvard.
- With 26 wins, the epee squad tied the program record for most wins in a season.
- Ibrahim won the epee title at the Penn State Open on Nov. 7, while Largaespada tied for third in foil.
- To start the season, the Owls won two of three events at their own Temple Open on Oct. 31. Largaespada took the win in foil, while freshman Blessing Olaode won her first collegiate meet for the sabre squad. Junior Miranda Litzinger placed second in foil, as did Ibrahim in epee and senior Gloria Aguilar in sabre.
- Head Coach Nikki Franke completed her 44th year at the helm of Temple fencing in 2015-16, and now has an overall career record of 747-221-1.
Honors
Fiona Fong
All-NIWFA First Team
Alexandra Keft
All-NIWFA Second Team
College Fencing 360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (Jan. 22)
Fatima Largaespada
All-NIWFA Second Team
Quinn Duwelius
All-NIWFA Second Team
Petra Khan
NIWFA All-Academic Team
Resnick Support Center for Student-Athletes Scholar Athlete of the Month (March)
Owl Club Academic Award
Demi Antipas
OwlSports Under Armour Athlete of the Week (March 14)
Olivia Wynn
Enterprise Spirt & Sportsmanship Award
NCAA Participants
Demi Antipas
Jessica Hall
Safa Ibrahim
Petra Khan
Six seniors finished their careers as Owls for the fencing program this season - Gloria Aguilar, Demi Antipas, Jessica Hall, Petra Khan, Fatima Largaespada and Olivia Wynn.Â
Earning the Most Improved Player award in just her first season at Temple was freshman Auset Muhammad of the foil squad.Â
The team honored an MVP for each weapon, and it was seniors taking all three trophies. In foil, senior Fatima Largaespada was named MVP. For epee, it was senior Jessica Hall, and for sabre, it was senior Petra Khan. Largaespada had an outstanding regular season with 46 wins for the foil squad, while Hall and Khan completed their careers by making their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships.
Two days after the team's banquet, the Owls also attended the annual Celebration of Champions and earned a couple more awards. Khan was honored with the team's Owl Club Academic Award for having the highest GPA for the last two semesters on the team.
Senior Olivia Wynn earned one of the evening's top awards, being named the female recipient of the Enterprise Spirit and Sportsmanship Award, given annually to student-athletes who have demonstrated a devotion to the essence of sport through their acts of sportsmanship.
2015-16 Temple Fencing Highlights
Overall Record: 24-14
Conference Finish: 1st in NIWFA
- The Owls were ranked in every Top 10 poll throughout the season, finishing ninth in the final poll of 2015-16.
- Temple had four fencers qualify for the 2016 NCAA Championships, and took 11th place among women's teams at the national meet.
- Three seniors made their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships, Demi Antipas (foil), Jessica Hall (epee) and Petra Khan (sabre). Sophomore Safa Ibrahim (epee) made her second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and was the Owls' highest finisher, taking 17th place.
- All 17 Temple fencers qualified to compete in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional, and the Owls sent the maximum 12 representatives. Out of those 12, an impressive eight were finalists (top 12) at the regional meet.
- Antipas was Temple's top finisher at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional, earning a runner-up finish in foil. The Owls also had a top-five finisher in epee, with Hall taking fourth.
- Five Owls earned All-NIWFA recognition after Temple earned its 20th straight NIWFA team title.
- Freshman Fiona Fong was named to the All-NIWFA First Team after a third-place finish in epee. Earning All-NIWFA Second Team honors were senior Fatima Largaespada (foil), junior Alexandra Keft (epee) and freshman Quinn Duwelius (epee). Khan was named to the All-NIWFA Academic Team.
- As a team, Temple finished with a dual meet record of 24-14.
- Sophomore Becca Stanford tied for third in foil at the 2016 Junior Fencing Olympics. One month earlier at the January NAC, Stanford took eighth in junior women's foil and 10th in Division I women's foil.
- On Jan. 22, Keft was named to the College Fencing 360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll after going 11-1 at the Penn State Invitational.
- Temple went 4-1 as a team at Penn State, highlighted by an 18-9 win against the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions and a 20-7 victory against North Carolina.
- The epee squad turned in a perfect day at both the Penn State Invitational and the Sacred Heart Invitational, including a 6-3 win against nationally-ranked Harvard.
- With 26 wins, the epee squad tied the program record for most wins in a season.
- Ibrahim won the epee title at the Penn State Open on Nov. 7, while Largaespada tied for third in foil.
- To start the season, the Owls won two of three events at their own Temple Open on Oct. 31. Largaespada took the win in foil, while freshman Blessing Olaode won her first collegiate meet for the sabre squad. Junior Miranda Litzinger placed second in foil, as did Ibrahim in epee and senior Gloria Aguilar in sabre.
- Head Coach Nikki Franke completed her 44th year at the helm of Temple fencing in 2015-16, and now has an overall career record of 747-221-1.
Honors
Fiona Fong
All-NIWFA First Team
Alexandra Keft
All-NIWFA Second Team
College Fencing 360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (Jan. 22)
Fatima Largaespada
All-NIWFA Second Team
Quinn Duwelius
All-NIWFA Second Team
Petra Khan
NIWFA All-Academic Team
Resnick Support Center for Student-Athletes Scholar Athlete of the Month (March)
Owl Club Academic Award
Demi Antipas
OwlSports Under Armour Athlete of the Week (March 14)
Olivia Wynn
Enterprise Spirt & Sportsmanship Award
NCAA Participants
Demi Antipas
Jessica Hall
Safa Ibrahim
Petra Khan
Players Mentioned
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Foil/Sabre
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